Thursday, February 7, 2008

Today I watched Oprah and her favorite Dr. Oz share guidelines for being younger than you are internally as well as externally. Oprah promotes being “the best you can be” which I applaud but the best is always younger than your actual age. What is wrong with being your age? What is wrong with acting your age?

After listening to all the healthy food choices we can make, and watching Dr. Oz demonstrate his athletic prowess, and exploring all the things we do to jeopardize our health, the topic of sex came up. It seems that women over 50 should be having sex at least once a week. And failure to do so, results in visible aging. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry!

With one simple sentence, uttered with great aplomb, thinking it would be universally cheered, they doomed most older women who are unmarried, or widowed by their husbands, or divorced by their husbands to a life of aging faster. Women live longer than men, and older men often prefer younger women. Where does that leave us? Doomed to shrivel up and die? Often celibacy chooses us. We become celibate by default rather than virtue. There is a lack of opportunity.

But what about women who have chosen celibate lives? Nuns and other religious who have taken a vow of chastity? Can they expect to live shorter lives or just look like they’re going to die prematurely?

I am certainly in favor of making healthy diet and life-style choices. I don’t always make them but I’m in favor of them. I am blessed with family and friends. And I’ll continue to enjoy my celibate life in spite of the wrinkles that come my way!

About Me

Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother! Retired Social Worker and Addictions Counselor. Member of the Episcopal Church. Daughter, Wife, Mother, and Grandmother of career military personnel. Needless to say I have traveled a lot! And still do to visit my family.